Comments on Reinventing Urban Transport: Did the Japanese invent Shared Space Streets?

Paul: In residential streets, cars are excluded ex...

2010-08-13T03:24:36.875+08:00

Paul: In residential streets, cars are excluded except for access. They very rarely allow through traffic. This is an example. Older residential streets which were initially designed as through streets are no longer through streets.

And cyclists are generally separated at junctions too. Here are some examples of road junctions.

And here you'll find a video showing what it is like to cycle along a newly renovated street in the Netherlands. You'll see how the junctions work. There's no "sailing through" and just hoping that motorists don't run into you. Cyclists have separate phases at the traffic lights.

In the smallest streets in the centre of the city, it's a one way system (for cars but not for bikes) designed to make sure you can't go anywhere by car and can't use those streets for through journeys by car. This works much as in residential areas. Very very few cars are seen as people only go there if they need to.

@David Hembrow: Thanks for the comment and for poi...

2010-07-26T21:30:13.561+08:00

@David Hembrow: Thanks for the comment and for pointing us to your interesting post. Very thought provoking.

Safety through uncertainty and 'intrigue' seems to be useful to deter recklessness among motorists. But your point is well made that it is uncomfortable (even frightening) for cyclists and some pedestrians. [At least it is a problem above a certain level of traffic density. I gather that bikes and motorists share the streets on small residential streets in the Netherlands without much problem (and with the help of 30 km/h speed restrictions). Is that correct?]

I wonder if it would be possible to design streets and intersections to get the best of both worlds? In other words, would it be possible to make sure motorists don't feel too secure in their right-of-way but still make vulnerable road users feel high subjective safety?

In fact, I wonder if even standard Dutch street designs achieve something like that at every intersection, precisely because of the high number of bicycles sailing through?

Don't get too excited about Shared Space. I...

2010-07-25T16:16:02.841+08:00

Don't get too excited about Shared Space. I've yet to meet anyone here in the Netherlands who is enthusiastic about it. In fact, there is much criticism of it due to it having lead to a reduction in safety, and especially subjective safety, for cyclists vs. drivers.

Thankfully, there are very few busy shared space areas, and I'm not aware of any more which are planned. Many villages always were like this, of course, and many still are.

@Jonathan I am sure you are right, in the sense th...

2010-07-22T18:58:33.326+08:00

@Jonathan I am sure you are right, in the sense that medieval streets everywhere were (and often still are) shared spaces. So point taken.

But notice that these Japanese streets are in many cases relatively modern. Some of them are outside the older (pre-war) 23 Wards area of Tokyo.
Thanks for the comment and best wishes with your cyclized blogging.

I think the Italians invented shared space streets...

2010-07-22T17:04:57.898+08:00

I think the Italians invented shared space streets - have you seen Urbino in Le Marche? I am happy to send you a photo.